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February Field Trips
Bigleaf Maple Leaf Syrup Festival - Saturday, Feb
7
Genoa Bay - Saturday, Feb 14
Cowichan River Dike (Eco Centre) - Friday, Feb 20
Chemainus - Saturday, Feb 28
Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival
BC Forest Museum
2892 Drinkwater Road, Duncan
Date: Sat, Feb 7
Meet: BC Forest Museum, 2892 Drinkwater Rd, Duncan, BC - parking may be limited due to populartity of this event you may want to arrive early to secure a parking spot
Time: 10am-noon (Festival hours 10am-4:30pm)
Costs: $5.00 - day pass (you may leave and return to the Festival after coffee)
Washrooms: on site
Walking Conditions: generally flat with well packed trails
Directions: Starting in Duncan on the Island Highway:
1. Travel north 1.5 km on the Island Highway to the stop light (Tim Hortons on left, BC Forest Museum on right)
2. Turn right onto Drinkwater Rd and turn into parking lot for the BC Forest Museum
Cautions: cool temperatures, dress accordingly (snow last year)
Features: The festival features a maple syrup competition with judging by celebrity chefs from Vancouver Island, winners to be announced at approx 1pm. Bill Jones will present a cooking demonstration between noon and 1pm. The evaporator will be running all day to allow you to savour the warm maple aroma of sap and see how syrup is made. Tapping demonstrations will run every 15 min, musical entertainment by Ed Peekeekoot from 11:00-3:00, children's activities will be ongoing and the museum's train will be running from 11:00-3:00. Hot chocolate and popcorn will be available onsite.
Photo Opportunities: Historical items, miniture train, eagles nest, tbbs, making of maple syrup from selecting, draining, cooking, and tasting of big leaf maple syrup, possible live music
Post Trip Review (coffee): 12:15pm Tim Horton's across highway
Genoa Bay
Date: Sat, Feb 14
Meet: Genoa Bay Parking Lot
Time: 10am
Costs: none
Washrooms: on site
Walking Conditions: level except for ramps; all ramps have good footing and railings
Directions: Starting in Duncan on the Island Highway:
2. Turn east off the Island Hwy onto Trunk Rd
3. Stay straight to go onto Tzoulalem Rd go approx 1 km
4. Turn left onto Maple Bay Rd
5. Turn slight right to stay on Maple Bay Rd go .16 km
6. Turn slight right again to stay on Maple Bay Rd go 5.14 km
7. Turn right onto Genoa Bay Rd go 1.28 km
8. Turn left to stay on Genoa Bay Rd
9. Continue approx 4 km to Genoa Bay
10. The road turns left to end in the parking area
Cautions: use caution if inclement weather, docks and ramp may be slippery; road to Genoa Bay is narrow and twisty, use caution when driving.
Features: Genoa Bay Marina, coffee shop, art gallery
Photo Opportunities: tree-lined shores, towering vistas, float homes, quiet beaches, boats, water fowl, an occasional otter and watch for deer as you drive down to the parking area.
Post Trip Review (coffee): TBA
Cowichan River Dike (Eco Centre)
Duncan, BC
Date: Fri, Feb 20
Meet: Eco Centre Parking Lot
Time: 10am
Costs: none
Washrooms: none on site
Walking Conditions: small incline to get to dike, then level, with gravel and small rocks on dike surface; some benches
Directions: Starting in Duncan on the Island Highway:
1. Turn east off the Island Hwy on to Trunk Rd
2. Go the first stop light and veer right onto Marchmount Rd
3. Continue to the end of Marchmount Rd. and turn right onto Lakes Rd
4. Continue to the end of Lakes Rd and you will be at the paking lot
Cautions: Last year the weather was a little foggy, walking surface can be slippery
Features: Cowichan River
Photo Opportunities: last field trip we saw lots of water fowl, eagles, blue herons, and dead fish carcuses as much as 10 feet up in the trees - also lots of dogs
Post Trip Review (coffee): TBA
Chemainus
Date: Sat, Feb 28
Meet: parking lot by the Water Wheel Park
Time: 10am
Costs: none
Washrooms: on site at Waterwheel Park
Walking Conditions: flat, with some varied slopes, most areas paved
Directions:
1. travel approx 16 km north on Island Hwy to the stop lights
2. turn right onto Henry Rd, travel east approx 1.5 km to bottom of hill
3. turn left onto Chemainus Rd
4. travel north for approx 1.5 km
4. turn right onto Cyprus St and go 1 blk
5. cross Willow St to parking lot
Cautions: If walking between upper and lower town areas hill is relatively steep; beach areas may have rocky footing along shoreline.
Features: Chemainus is a waterfront community with views of wildlife, islands, marine activity and sea birds. The town features 39 murals and 13 sculptures and the Chemainus Theatre; around each corner is a dealer in antiques and collectibles, gift shops and art galleries abound; other points of interest are Waterwheel Park, Weyerhauser Mill, Clark Beach or Kin Beach and the Chemainus Valley Museum.
Photo Opportunities: ocean views, heritage buildings, murals, sculptures, ocean beach, boats, water fowl, native trees and plants, and a variety of other small town subjects.
Post Trip Review (coffee): TBA